Electrical test implement.



V. H, DAKE. ELECTRICAL, TEST IMPLEMENT.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 19,1908.

Patented M21118, 1910.

llhlllTElT STATES VIRGIL H. DAKE, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

ELECTRICAL TEST IMPLEMENT.

eaiueei.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 8, 1910.

Application filed November 19, 1908. Serial No. 483,383.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VIRGIL H. DAiin, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of the city of Bufialo, county of Erie, andState of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inElectrical Test Implements, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain improve ments in electrical testimplements designed for determining the electrical condition ofinsulated cables, by providing means whereby electrical contact may bemade with con ducting portions of such cables. In such devices it is ofcourse desirable that the contacting area be as great as possible and incases where the cable is composed of a plurality of stranded conductorsthat contact may be made with any one of them without destroying theintegrity of its covering.

For these purposes my invention consists in a suitable holder having aplurality of contact points thereon, each of said points being adjacentto but supported from each of the other points, whereby a comparativelylarge contact area is provided without necessitating the formation of asingle perforation in the cover, each point passing through the coverindependently and separately from the other points, and it furtherconsists in a construction of handle adapted to receive such points andin the construction of the points themselves whereby the above describeddeposition of their ends is obtained.

It further consists in the construction, arrangement and combination ofthe several parts of which it is composed as will be hereinafter morefully described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which corresponding parts aredesignated by like letters of reference: Figure 1 is a side elevation ofa test implement constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 isa central longitudinal view thereof. Fig. 3 is a perspective viewillustrating a modification of my invention. Fig. 4. is an enlargeddetail view illustrating the manner in which the needles are assembled.

Referring to the drawings, A is a hollow metallic cylinder having in oneend an internal thread in which screws a threaded plug D and whichreceives one end of a conducting stem B the opposite end of the cylinderbeing slightly restricted, and such end has an external thread a.

The central part of the stem B is surrounded by an insulating cover Gheld in place by nuts G, G. The rear end of the stem projects beyond thecover and is pro vided at b with a screw thread which is a companion ofthat at a, a groove 6, being formed in the stem at the base of thethread 6, which groove receives a pair of washers F, slipped over theend of the stem and then contracted to lock them in place.

E is an internally threaded metallic cap, which may be screwed on A at afor the protection of the needles H, when the im plement is not in use.When the implement is in use it may be used as shown in Fig. 2 as a nutto compress the washers F, between which the conducting wire 7 will beplaced thereby forming a binding post for an electrical connection.

Within the cylinder A. is contained a plurality or bunch of needles H orsuitable pins having cylindrical body portions with tapered ends. Theordinary sewing needle is an example of this and can be used toadvantage, the needles being pressed toward the constricted mouth by theplug D, the expanding of the needles toward their middle causing them tobe firmly clamped together and within the cylinder, insuring goodelectrical connections, not only from needle to needle but between theneedles and the case. By this construction a plurality of points isprovided, each point being slightly separated from the adjacent ones andthese can be pressed through into the conducting coating by a relativeslight pressure, each point making its own aperture, pressing thematerial of the coating laterally to a slight degree. Thus, while alarge contacting sur face with the metallic part of the cable isprovided, large apertures therein are avoided.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. In an electrical test implement, the combination with an inclosingcase, of a plurality of independently movable points therein, each pointhaving a cylindrical body portion and a tapered end, by which aplurality of slightly separated contact points will be obtained.

2. In an electrical test implement, the combination with an inclosingcylinder having a restricted mouth, of a bundle of points containedWithin the cylinder and means contained Within the cylinder for pressingthe points toward the restricted end thereof.

3. In an electrical test implement, the combination with an inclosingcylinder having a restricted mouth, of a bundle of points containedWithin the cylinder and means contained Within the cylinder for pressingthe points toward the restricted end thereof,

a handle for the cylinder and a binding post on the handle.

4. In an electrical test implement, the combination With an inclosingcylinder and its handle, the cylinder and handle having their oppositeends correspondingly 15 threaded, Washers upon the handle adjacent tothe thread thereon, contact points in the cylinder, and a cap fittingthe threads upon the cylinder, and handle, and serving as a protectionfor the points or a nut for the :20 Washers.

Signed at Buiialo this 7th day of Nov. 1908.

VIRGIL H. DAKE.

lVit-nesses WM. GRIMM, F. A. RUDOLPH.

